Accra Hearts of Oak head coach Nebojsa Kapor has opened up on how his side navigated a testing early-season injury crisis, emphasising that a hardened mental resilience has turned the Phobians into title contenders ahead of Sunday's clash against Debibi United.
The Accra giants travel to Presby Park for their Matchday 9 fixture sitting second in the league standings on 17 points, carrying a wave of momentum built on three consecutive 1-0 victories.
Speaking candidly to Accra Hearts of Oak SC media, Kapor reflected on the hurdles the team faced, how they rebuilt their confidence, and what it takes to conquer the road in the Ghana Premier League.
"Congratulations must go to the entire Phobia family for how we have navigated this recent period, especially in terms of delivering the results that matter most," Kapor said.
"We were struggling": Overcoming the injury crisis
After opening the 2026-27 campaign strongly with wins over Berekum Chelsea and Bibiani Gold Stars, Hearts of Oak hit a turbulent patch from Matchday 3 onwards.
A string of injuries to crucial attacking personnel left Kapor without a recognised offensive midfielder for several fixtures—a disruption that coincided with a challenging three-match winless run against Bechem United, Karela United, and Dreams FC.
The Bosnian tactician admitted that reshaping his frontline on the fly took longer than anticipated, forcing the technical team to shift their focus heavily toward psychological conditioning.
"From the third match onwards, we struggled with injuries in crucial positions, particularly in the attacking department, and had to play several games without an offensive midfielder," Kapor explained.
"Finding solutions and adapting to those changes does not always happen overnight, and that caused us some problems."
Rather than making excuses, the squad responded by grinding out three successive clean-sheet triumphs against Port City FC, Vision FC, and Basake Holy Stars.
"During that spell, we worked extensively on our mental strength, with players from every position stepping up to support one another. The way we won our last match against Basake Holy Stars, as well as the away victory over Vision FC, proved that our mentality has become very tough."
"Everyone knows we have a talented squad, and combining that quality with resilience gave us the edge to secure these three wins," he added.
Managing expectations and squad belief
With three straight wins lifting spirits around the club, external expectations have naturally risen. However, Kapor stressed that clear communication from the technical bench has kept the dressing room grounded.
"Every positive result builds confidence, while at the same time raising expectations—managing that balance is simply part of our job," Kapor noted.
"When you work with players who know what they want, and the technical team clearly present our demands and mindset, everyone pulls in the same direction. We are channelling that expectation into positive energy and confidence on the pitch."
"Mindset is everything on the road"
Sunday's encounter marks the first top-flight meeting between Debibi United and Hearts of Oak, presenting a demanding away assignment in a league where home advantage is fiercely contested.
Kapor is demanding that his players abandon any cautious away-day habits of the past and approach every venue with the expectation of claiming maximum points.
"Every away fixture in this league carries a serious advantage for the home team, so my role is to instil belief in the squad. I do not look at away games the way teams may have approached them in the past. Going into every match, I make sure the players have the confidence that we are going there to win. Mindset is everything, and this team is capable of winning every away game."
With two final tactical sessions scheduled before departure, Kapor confirmed that Hearts will stick to their core playing philosophy while making targeted adjustments to exploit Debibi United on their home turf.
"As Hearts of Oak, we always look to impose our general tactical identity, while adapting specific details to suit the opponent and the pitch conditions," he explained.
"Each tactical session opens up solutions for how we can create an advantage on the day, and the plan will be crystal clear for the players to execute."
Call to the Phobia faithful
Despite the long journey awaiting travelling supporters, the Hearts boss concluded with a rallying cry to the fanbase to back the team in their pursuit of a fourth consecutive league win.
"We always strive to give our supporters the best and make them happy, because the team and the fans cannot be separated," Kapor added.
"I know it is a long trip, yet I am calling on our fans to travel in their numbers and rally behind us so we can celebrate a strong performance together."
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